Pucks are frozen prior to professional games. As many as 30 or 40 pucks are used in each
NHLgame
.

Players are not allowed to play with a
Broken Stick
. They will get a two-minute
Penalty
if they do.

If a player shoots the
puck
out of his own end and it goes
over the glass
, they will receive a two minute penalty for
Delay of game
.

A puck
can
be deflected off a player's skates into the
net
, but if there is a "distinct kicking motion," it is considered "
no goal
."

The
home team
gets to change their lines last. They also get to put their sticks down last during face-offs.

Wayne "The Great One" Gretzky chose #99 as a way to honour his favourite player, Gordie "Mr. Hockey" Howe, who wore #9 throughout his career. There were many other famous players who wore #9 as well, including Maurice "The Rocket" Richard. #99 has been retired by the NHL
league
-
wide
. No player may ever wear #99 on their NHL
jersey
as a token of respect to the greatest player ever.

Mario Lemieux was the first player to
score
in every category during one game:
even strength
, Power Play, Short-Handed,
Penalty shot
and Empty Net. No player has ever done it since.

If a puck bounces off a
Referee
or linesman and goes into the net, it is considered "no
goal
."

The
AHL
affiliate, or "
farm team
" for an NHL team is also called the "
minors
." Players can be brought from the farm or "called up" to the NHL team affiliated with them.

"
transition hockey
" refers to how well a team or player can change between offense and defense during play.

The "
Sean Avery Rule
" stipulates that a player may not wave their
stick
in front of the
Goalie
's face or otherwise deliberately obstruct their vision. They will receive a two-minute penalty if they do.

If you play more than 10 seasons in the NHL, you qualify for roommate amnesty.(You can have your own room
on the road
.)

The first TV commentator to use the "
Telestrator
" to help audiences understand the game was
Howie
Meeker. "He gets the puck and he just skates, skates, skates! You would think he had rockets on his feet."

The 1966/67 NHL
season
was the only one in league history in which not a single
trade
was made.

Learn more trivia with the A to Z Guide to Hockey Terms book and iPhone app. Get it today and get in the game.